Little Black Bottle
by The Half Mad Muggle
Summary: Severus has made a terrible mistake...but at least their last few moments on this soil will be together. WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH. ONESHOT


**Little Black Bottle**

_Severus makes a terrible mistake; both their lives are ending; but at least their final moments on this soil will be spent together._

_Written for Kati; to answer her question...would I?_

* * *

_"Severus...please..."_

_He stared into the blue eyes._

_Normally he was a brave man. But this time, he drew the line. His fingers would not work. He could not grasp his wand._

_"No..." He leapt forward, before the Death Eaters, before Malfoy, before Albus could react. He grabbed his Headmaster's arm, and Disapparated._

* * *

He could tell, straight away, that the Apparation had only made his condition worse. He caught Dumbledore before he fell, "Headmaster..."

"...What have you done?" Dumbledore whispered.

"It's fine, Headmaster, you need to sit here..." He pushed the weakened older man into an armchair.

"What have you done?" Dumbledore repeated, leaning heavily against the side of the chair. His eyes were angry.

"I have a potion to help with this..."

"Severus!" Dumbledore bellowed, making the younger wizard jump. "What have you done?"

Severus turned back to face him, "I..."

"How dare you disobey my orders?" Even in his injured state, Albus Dumbledore could still be frightening. The only person that had ever terrified him.

"I...couldn't..."

Dumbledore looked disgusted, "You coward."

The word was the worst insult for Severus Snape.

He snapped, "Maybe I am a coward! For once in my life, I am taking the coward's way out! I could not kill you! You mean everything to me!"

Dumbledore shook his head, "Do you realise what you have just done? They will be looking for you."

"I know." Severus murmured.

There was silence for a moment—then Dumbledore moaned in pain.

"Headmaster..." Severus crossed to him worriedly, "You are not well."

"It matters not. We do not have much time. We cannot outrun him forever."

"What do I need to do?" Severus muttered, running a hand across Dumbledore's hot forehead. "Tell me how I can fix you..."

"Why are you so selfish, Severus? Draco will suffer for this; and as for you..."

"I am not selfish. I...am weak. I could not summon the strength to kill you. I did everything else you commanded."

"And yet you chose this minute to disobey me?"

Severus looked away.

"Where are we, anyway?" Dumbledore asked quietly after a moment.

Severus looked around the small, book-crammed living room. "My house. Wherever we went, the Dark Lord will find us. I...needed somewhere that I knew." He folded his arms into his robes, "Not that this place offers much comfort."

Dumbledore gasped again, waiting a moment before steadying his breathing to murmur, "My end is nearing."

"Do not be ridiculous. It is just the after effects of the potion. You will live. We both will."

A sad smile crossed Dumbledore's lips, "Who are you trying to fool, Severus? Yourself?"

Snape shook his head violently, "I am speaking the truth. I can make a potion, it will help you..."

"And yet, I will refuse to take it." Dumbledore glanced at Severus, "I have to be the sacrifice, Severus. I will die, you can claim victory, and carry out our plan the way we expected."

"I will not."

"Yes you will." Dumbledore answered steadily, "For you have no choice." He saw Severus flinch; could see his muscles trembling. The boy was afraid and torn. "Severus. Come here." He reached out a hand.

After a brief moment, Severus linked his cold fingers with the Headmaster's. "Listen to me, Severus. We have talked about this. You know what needs to happen here. You have to go on...what chance will Harry have if you do not?"

Severus ruffled, "I don't see why everything rests upon me. The memories are in your Penseive. Ask him to look; or why can't you just leave here?"

"Because I am clearly incapacitated. Do not interrupt me, Severus, for these might be my final words."

His Dark Mark burnt and he winced. "You would leave me to face the Dark Lord alone?"

"That is your own doing, Severus. You could have seen him in glory and in victory. That can still happen." He sounded so sure of himself...how could have so much faith?

"Why won't you fight for me, just this once?" The voice was soft and sad.

Dumbledore coughed violently into his hand. He looked at the blood on his palm.

Severus looked stricken, "You can't..."

"This is not your fault, Severus, you must understand that." Dumbledore whispered, "This has to happen..." He clenched his hand around Severus', "You did me proud, Severus. Never forget that, dear boy."

Snape turned away, "No, no, it's fine. I have a potion here, I can save you. Why won't you let me save you! You have to live, we cannot win without you." He grabbed the potions bottles off the shelf and started to rifle through them, "Here!" He exclaimed, holding the bottle up to the light, "This will help, and then we can run and..." He glanced back at the headmaster.

"...Headmaster?"

Dumbledore's eyes were closed.

"No." Severus whispered, running back to his side. "Don't you dare." He shook the Headmaster, "Please. Wake up..."

There was no response.

He felt the tears coming. "No..." He felt his knees give way as shock relaxed his muscles. "You bastard."

His Dark Mark burnt again, terribly. He was close. "Damn you to Hell, Dumbledore." He buried his head in his hands, feeling the tears streak his cheeks. He never cried.

Was he crying because of loss or fear?

His Mark burnt again. He cried out, pulling his arm close to his chest. This was the end.

He looked across at the potions cabinet one final time. He stood up and moved the box back onto the shelf.

The door opened behind him. He did not turn immediately.

"Severus." It was the Dark Lord himself. He had come to seek retribution for the betrayal.

But of course, what was the betrayal? Albus Dumbledore was, obviously, dead.

"Did you kill him?" Voldemort breathed softly, pride touching his voice.

Pride he did not want to hear.

"You took him away from Hogwarts so that your cover was not blown. Ingenious, Severus..." Voldemort stared at the dead man, his attention diverted from his follower for a few seconds.

"No." Severus interrupted. "Sorry, my Lord." He turned back to face him. "I did not kill him. There is no way I would kill the man I am most loyal to."

Confusion crossed Voldemort's face. "What did you say?"

Snape folded his arms, "You have a spy, in your ranks, my Lord." The title was sarcastic. "He has fed information to Albus Dumbledore for three years. Whatever you have said; whatever you have done, he knows. He had made preparations. He knew this moment would come—when you would ask for his murder. Unfortunately, both you and he chose to place your trust in the wrong person. I would not kill him for you, and I would not kill him for him."

Voldemort blinked, "You have betrayed me?"

"Yes. Many times over." Snape smirked at Voldemort, "And do you know the worst thing? You cannot do anything about it."

The shock was gone; only anger remained. The Dark Lord snarled at him, "I beg to differ. You are defenceless. I can torture you into oblivion." He narrowed his eyes at Severus, "Why would you suggest I cannot hurt you?"

His muscles were relaxing. Breathing was harder. His vision blurred slightly.

"What have you done?"

The voice was echoic. He did not hear it. He did not need to hear it. He collapsed down to his knees, losing any control of his limbs. He glanced back up at the Dark Lord one final time, feeling triumphant and victorious.

_I am no coward._

He collapsed down to the ground and breathed no more.

The little black bottle fell from his lifeless fingers and rolled across the floor.

* * *

_Yes my dear, yes I would. Reviews greatly appreciated by this hungry author._

_SS19_


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